An effort to close Buena Vista Mobile Home Park in Palo Alto cleared a key hurdle Wednesday.

In a 22-page "tentative decision," Administrative Law Judge Craig Labadie said the owner of the park, the Jisser family, had put together a relocation assistance package that complies with the law.

"After careful consideration of all the information presented," wrote Labadie, "my ultimate conclusion is that the park owner has met its burden of proof by proposing a package of mitigation measures which, taken as a whole and with certain supplemental conditions, do meet the criteria set forth in the city's mobile home park conversion ordinance for mandatory approval of the application to close the Buena Vista Mobile Home Park."

Park residents would receive the full appraised value of each mobile home, a rent subsidy equal to 100 percent of the difference between the average space rent at the park and average market rents for replacement housing, start-up costs equal to three months' rent, and moving expenses. Handicapped or disabled residents would also receive "special assistance."

The decision follows an emotional three-day hearing in May on the relocation assistance package.

"The overall picture that emerged from their testimony was of sincere, hard-working individuals and families who are living on limited income, but nevertheless are not only providing good homes for their children and extended families but also making a positive contribution to their community," Labadie wrote.

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"Given these circumstances, they will no doubt experience personal challenges and disruption in their lives if they move."

However, Labadie said his task was to "dispassionately consider and analyze the factual evidence and legal arguments presented by the parties and reach a conclusion on the essential question whether the mitigation measures proposed by the park owner, as proposed or as they may be augmented, meet the standard of adequacy without being unreasonable."

"Although I am mindful of the impact this decision will have on the lives of park residents," he continued, "my factual and legal conclusions must be based on evidence and reasoned analysis, not emotion or sympathy."

Labadie said he will accept comment on the decision from attorneys for the Jisser family and Buena Vista residents. Once it becomes final, the decision can be appealed to the City Council.

"He affirms the position we have had from the outset in this matter, which is that if per the terms of the ordinance and state law you agree to pay reasonable mitigation assistance, you have the right to close the park," said Margaret Nanda, an attorney for the Jisser family.

Nadia Aziz of the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, one of three firms that have stepped forward to represent the residents of the mobile home park, said she was still reviewing the decision.

"Although we have not had the chance to fully digest the hearing officer's decision, we respectfully disagree with his conclusion that the relocation assistance proposed by the park owner is adequate," she said. "We will be discussing next steps with the resident's association."

"There's some more process to go," added Diana Castillo, another attorney with the Law Foundation. "It's not over by any means. But we want to digest it a bit more because it just came out."

The Jisser family filed an application with the city to close the park in November 2012 after reaching an agreement to sell it to Prometheus Real Estate Group Inc. However, the San Mateo-based developer, which had proposed building 180 luxury apartments on the 4.5-acre site, voided the deal in June.

Nanda said the move changed nothing. According to an appraisal done in April, the property is worth $14.5 million as is and approximately twice as much if converted into multifamily housing. The Jisser family has twice rebuffed an offer by residents to purchase the park for the as is amount.